Hanger for hold tops



Nov. 24, 1931. E. GATHMANN HANGER FOR MOLD TOPS Filed May 16, 1951 2 Sh0ct$-h1 l NOV. 24, 1931. GATHMANN 1,833,709

HANGER FOR MOLD TOPS 4 Filed May 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 EMIL GATHMANN, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND HANGER FOB MOLD TOPS Application filed May 16,

This invention relates to the manufacture of steel ingots of the kind produced in vertical cast iron molds having upper portions or I tops made usually of refractory material such 6 as fire clay. The mold top or shrink head casing is ordinarily so supported on the top of a cast iron mold that it may be lowered in the mold after the molten ingot metal has been poured. Heretofore several kinds of de- 1 vices have been employed for supporting the refractory mold tops on the cast iron molds, the most common practice being to employ blocks or bars which engage lugs or lateral projections on the mold tops and which are removed by the mold attendant when the molten metal reaches the lower portion of the sink head, as shown and described for instance in my United States Patent No. 1,508,931, of September 26, 1924. It has also been proposed to suspend the refractory top in the mold by means of wires or by metal plates projecting laterally from the mold top as shown and described in my United States Patent No. 1,137 ,264, of April 27, 1915, and

it has been further proposed to suspend the refractory top in the molds by means of metal hangers of various kinds which have portions which rest on the top of the cast iron mold and other portions which engage the bottom portion of the refractory top. My present invention relates to hangers of the last mentioned kind, and it consists in so forming such hangers that, while sufliciently strong to sustain the weight of the moldtop during the major part of the mold teeming or pouring operation, they will so weaken during the latter part of such operation that the refractory top will automatically descend and rest or float on the molten metal'at the proper time.

In one form of my invention the hanger comprises an upper part adapted to rest on the top of the cast iron mold, a lower part adaptedto engage the bottom of the refractory mold top, and an intermediate portion which connects the upper andlower portions, but

which, while sufficiently strong to sustain the weight of the mold top during pouring, is more'easily softened than the upper and lower portions of the hanger. The arrangement 1931. Serial No. 537,951.

'cast iron mold;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing how the mold cavity and mold top or shrink head casing is filled with the ingotforming metal. This view illustrates how portions of the hangers are severed to allow the mold top to be free from its support on the metal mold and to rest ,on the forming ingot;

Figure 4 is a detail view in section similar 7 to Figure 2 and on an enlarged scale showing how a portion of one of the hangers is severed after being softened by the heat of the molten metal;

Figure 5 is a top plan View of the cast iron mold and mold top and the hangers shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the hangers shown in Figures 1 to 5, incluslve;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 shows a modified form of hanger. Italso embodies the broad features of my invention. I

In all figures of the drawings, A indicates a portion of a cast iron mold, and B indicates a portion of a mold top or shrink head casing.

In Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, H indicates generally the preferred form of mold top hanger. In Figure 8, M indicates a modified form of hanger. The ingot being produced is indicated at 'I in Figure 3.

Hangers made in accordance with my invention must be so constructed that they will be strong enough to support the mold top during the pouring operation, but shall give way at the proper time to allow the mold top either to descend or to float or rest on the top of the forming ingot. The hangers should be so constructed that they may restupon the top of the cast iron mold, may engage-the lower portion of the mold top, and shall have certain portions which will be softened under the heat of the molten metal in such manner that they will break or give way at the proper time. Therefore, I construct each hanger so that it shall have an upper part adapted to rest on the top of an ingot mold, a lower part ada ted to engage the lower portion 'of the mo 6. top, and an intermediate part connecting the upper and lower parts having a portion more easily heat softened than other parts of the hanger, and thus caused to give way or break under the heat of the forming ingot, whereby the mold top is automatically lowered in the mold or is allowed to float or be supported by the forming ingot rather than by the hangers.

In the first-six figures of the drawings, I have shown a mold top hanger having an upper part 1!. adapted to rest on the top of t e cast iron mold and a lower part h adapted to engage the lower portion of the mold top. It will be noted that theupper part It is separated from the part h by a space k T is space is bridged by a metal plate p which is spot-welded to the upper and lower parts. The parts h and h are preferably made of machine steel bent at a: as indicated in' Figure 6. The plate P is also preferably made of machine steel but is much thinner than the parts It and h, so that it may be more easily softened by the heat of the molten metal in the mold.

Figure 1 illustrates how the refractory topis supportedby the hangers before the pouring operation commences, and Figure 3 indicates how the plates P are softened and broken when the molten metal rises in the mold. It shouldbe understood that the plates P are arranged vertically, and their tensile strength is entirely suflicient to support the mold top.' No lateral or bending strain is exerted on these plates, but the up r and lower parts It and h are made much thicker because strain is exerted espe-' cially at the bends, and therefore it is neces-' sary to make the upper and lower parts especially-at the bends, sufliciently strong to sup port the weight imposed upon them.

In making mold top hangers according to my invention, I preferably employ ordinary machine steel bars sufliciently strong to SlllS", tain the weight of the mold top, but so construct these bars that they shall have a portion in their vertical part that is more readily softened by heat than other parts of the hanger. For instance, for a 24' x 2,4" mold of the mold top, and/or the impact of the top when inserted in the mold. The vertical portion of the hanger may be made thinner substantially throughout, or it may have a portion which is thinner and which is, say 0.05" thick and 1.0" in breadth. This portion of the vertical part of the hanger will be softened and thus weakened when the molten metal of the forming ingot rises in the mold. For mold tops of other diameters and weights, the breadth and thickness of the hangers may be varied, but there should be a portion in the vertical part of the hanger which readily softens and breaks at the proper time in the manner before explained. The broken upper portions of the hangers may be discarded after the pouring operation. The lower portions of the hangers, if not melted, will adhere to the upper portion of the ingot and may be discarded with the crop.

My improved hangers may be modified in variousways. I have shown only one modification, and this is illustrated in Figure 8, where M indicates the hanger asa whole, the upper part being indicated at m, the lower part at m, and the vertical part in this instance extends from the bends at 112 112 to the upper and lower parts m-m'. The vertical part is made thinner at m, and is therefore more easily softened by heat and morev easlly broken than other portions of the hanger. This thin portion maybe produced in any well-known way.-

'By my invention I have provided a thoroughly practical shrink head casing or mold top support and automatic release, i. e., a

mold top hanger or shrink head casing support which is sufficiently strong to sustaln the weight of the casing while the mold is being poured, but which,when sufliciently heated, releases the casing to allow it to. descend automatically in the mold or to float on the molten metal in the upper part thereof, and thus avoid cracks or tears which would occur if the mold top did not rest upon the formin ingot at the proper'time. I

t will be observed that in using my invention the mold top or shrink head casing is made somewhat narrower than the upper p ortion of the mold cavity leaving a space between the casing and the mold in which the hangers are contained. It is a usual practice to'leave such space between the mold top and the mold, and therefore my hangers may be employed in connectionwith-ingot'molds of the usual kind.

. I claim as my invention:

1. A mold top hanger having an upper part adapted to rest on the top of an ingot mold, a lower part adapted to engage the lowsoftened than other parts of the ban ily broken than other parts of the hanger for the purpose specified.

3. A mold top hanger'for ingot molds hav-- ing an upper part, a ower part, and a vertical part comprising two members separate from each other but connected to the upper and lower parts and joined to each other by a relatively thin metal bond which is more easily heat softened and thus allowed to break under the weight of the mold top when heated by the molten metal of the forming ingot.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EMIL GATHIMANN. 

